Whereas adults are more likely to have ischemic strokes, the National Stroke Association says children have hemorrhagic strokes as often as they have ischemic strokes.

The National Stroke Association says the cause of strokes in children also differs from adults. Children are at higher risk of a stroke if they have a disease in their arteries, have any cardiac disorders, have an infection, have an acute or chronic head or neck disorder, have abnormal blood clotting or have sickle-cell disease.

To determine if a child is suffering from a stroke, the National Stroke Association advices parents to look for the following symptoms: seizures, sudden or worsening headaches, difficulty speaking or slurred speech, a weakness on one side of the body, sudden loss of vision, sudden loss of balance or trouble walking.

The effects of a stroke are similar for children as in adults. The can suffer from paralysis, loss of speech, have trouble swallowing, have behavioral changes, suffer changes to their vision and have cognitive changes, according to the National Stroke Association.